Locking-rod for end-gates



(No Model.)

T. M. OWEN. LOGKING ROD FOR END GATES.

No. 487,766. Patented De0. 13, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIQE.

THEODORE M. OWEN, OF ALEXANDRIA, OHIO.

LOCKING-ROD FOR END-GATES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,766, dated December13, 1892. Application filed August 26, 1892. Serial No. 444,193. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE M. OWEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Alexandria, in the county of Licking and State ofOhio,haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Locking-Rods forEnd-Gates; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inlocking-rods for the end-gates of wagons or vehicles of any kind; and ithas for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive rod of thisdescription, which will serve both to lock the end-gate securely inplace and also will serve to eflectually strengthen the wagon-box andprevent the rear end of the box from spreading.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain, the sameconsists in the peculiar construction and in the novel combination,arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafterdescribed, shown in the accompanying drawings, and then specificallydefined in the appended claim.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whichform a part of this specification, like letters of reference indicatingthe same parts throughout the several views, and in which- Figure 1 isan end view of a wagon-box, showing the end-gate secured in place by alocking-rod embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View inperspective of the rod detached. Fig.3 is a detail in perspective of oneof the rear corners of the wagon-box, showing the end-gate as locked,with the position of the end of the lockingrod when the end-gate isreleased shown in dotted lines.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawingsbyletter,Adesignates the wagonbox provided with the usual form of slidingend-gate B, said gate moving vertically between vertical strips 19 b,which are secured to the inner faces of the side-boards of the box neartheir rear ends.

0 designates the rod, which is constructed with the centrally-locatedU-shaped handle a for the purpose of operating the rod andconvenientlyhandling the end-gate when removed from the wagon-box or inattaching and detaching the same. This rodOis sleeved within eyes orkeepers D at the upper ends of the vertical strips of metal D, the bodyportions of the rod upon each side of the handle portion being when thusjournaled in the eyes D substantially flush with the upper edge of theend-gate, as shown. The ends of the said rod extend over the upper edgesof the side-boards of the wagon-box and at points flush with the outerfaces of said side-boards are bent at right angles to form the arms 0the extreme ends of the said arms being bent inward at right angles tothe arms, thus forming the lugs 0 The side-boards of the box areprovided upon their outer faces and at their upper rear corners withmetallic plates E, said plates being provided at their upper edges withnotches E for the reception of the body portion of the rod 0, and attheir rear edge each of said plates is provided with a horizontal recessor slot D The operation of the device is simple and readily understood.In securing the end-gate in place it is simply necessary to turn the rodG by means of its operating-handle, so as to cause the lugs c at theends of the rod to enter the horizontal recesses D in the plates E. Itwill be seen that when thus locked the endgate will be securely held inplace, and that the arms 0 of the rod, folding or turning as they dodown over the outer faces of the sideboard of the box, will efiectuallyhold the upper rear corners of the box against possible spreading.

While I have shown my locking-rod as applied to a sliding or liftingend-gate, I do not desire to limit myself to such application, as it isat once evident that it is equally well adapted for use in connectionwith the ordinary forms of hinged gates.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to be new, and desireto secure by with the ends of the locking-rod, all arranged [0 LettersPatent, isand operating as set forth.

In combination, the end-gate, the looking- In testimony whereof Iaffixmysignaturein ro d having central U-shgtped handle and arms presence oftwo witnesses. O provided with lugs c the eyes or keepers I 1 5 upon theend-gate within which the said rod FIIIEODORE OWEN is sleeved, theside-boards of the box, plates Witnesses: upon the outer faces of theside-boards, and JAMES R. LADD, notches or slots in said plates forengagement FRED O. MEARANVILLE.

